Improved saddle-tree



"s E. TOMRKINS.

Saddle Tree.

No. 52.342. Patented Jan. 30,1866.

PETERS. PKOTO-LIDIOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON D C NTTa STATES PATENT rFrcE.

SAMUEL E. TOMPKINS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.-

llVlPROVED SADDLE-TREE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,342, dated January 30, 1866.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. ToMPKrNs, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Gig- Saddle Tree; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a rear view of my invention, the saddle being complete Fig.2, a side sectional view of the saddle, taken in the line as m, Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a transverse section of the tree and body-leather, taken in the line y y, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a rear View of the tree, showing the crupper-loop and body-leather Fig. 5, a vertical section of Fig. 4, taken in the line 2 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gig-saddle trees, those which are constructed of malleable cast-iron and it consists in a novel construction and modification of parts, as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby several advantages are obtained over gig-saddle trees of the same class hitherto constructed.

My improved tree, in common with other trees of the class specified, is composed of two parts-the upper part or seat, A, and the lower part or frame, Bsaid parts being secured together by means of a screw or screws.

The frame B is made or cast with longitudinal depressions a at each side, and to the frame, at its upper side, there is firmly attached, by rivets b, sole or heavy leather 0, said leather extending down at each side of the frame B a short distance below the terret-holes c. This leather 0, usually termed the body-leather, I sink or force into the depressions a of the frame, so that said leather will have a groove or recess, d, at its outer or upper surface corresponding to the depressions a. in the frame. (See more particularly Fig.-.) These grooves or recesses d receive the back-band.

The portion of the frame B below the bodyleather 0 is perforated with holes to admit of strips of leather D being riveted or nailed thereto These leathers D are technically termed stiffeners, and are invariably used with what are commonly termed long jockeys, E.

By the construction above described several advantages are obtained. In the first place I am enabled to use the body-leather G and still retain the recesses or grooves 01 to receive the back-band. Hitherto, when the body-leather has been used, no recesses or grooves for such purpose have been obtained, and side strips have been nailed on the bodyleather at the sides of the frame in order to bring a surface at each side flush with the back-bands. This is attended with considerable trouble and expense.

The frames B have been cast with grooves or recesses a in them at each side, but no body-leather applied to them, as herein shown, nor any provision made for attaching the stiffeners D,as specified. Hence by my improvement I am enabled to use the body-leather with recesses to receive the back-bands and have the stiffeners attached so as to form a smooth exterior surface for the long jockeys E to lap over. The upper ends of the stiffeners, it will be seen, abut against the lower ends of the body-leather O, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, forming a neat finish.

This improvement admits of a more extended use of the body-leather 0. It is preferred, and even deemed essential, by very many harness-makers, who urge as an objection against the recessed or grooved metallic tree the necessity of dispensing with it, and object to the riveting of strips at each side to form a space to receive the back-band on account of the labor and expense attending such I operation and the lack of finish or bungling appearance the tree most generally has when thus constructed or finished.

Besides the above improvement my invention possesses another, which consists in a novel application of the crupper-loop F. This loop is cast or otherwise made separately from the tree, and with shoulders 6, with ends f, bent down so as to pass through the bodyleather 0, and through holes in the rear part of frame B underneath the cantle of the saddle, the ends f being riveted or headed at the under side of frame B. By this arrangement are necessarily made with a sort of elbow,

which prevents the pad from fitting snug in the center. Besides it is very apt to break off unless the iron is very tough. In other instances the loops have been made separately and then riveted to the frame B, the bodyleather being above the loop,and the rivets passing" through the leather, the heads of the forming resting on the latter, which frequently works loose when it becomes soft and rotten.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- n 1. A gig-saddle tree having its, frame B provided with longitudinal depressions 0t, and covered with a body-leather, O, sunk or forced into the depressions a, substantially as shown and described.

2. The elongating or extending of the frame B, so that it may project below the bodyleather, to admit of the stiffeners D being attached directly to it by rivets, nails, or other means, substantially as set forth.

3. The crapper-loop F, constructed and attached to the frame B substantially in the manner as and for the purpose specified. 

